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Topic: Carvin Audio back In Business? |
Michael Remming
From:
Kimberly, Idaho, USA (deceased)
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 24 Jan 2018 1:26 pm |
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| Doesn't sound like they will be building any amps. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 24 Jan 2018 2:46 pm
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Someone must have invested $$. But, it makes you wonder, with the so called sales they were having that really wasn't "going out of business" prices - just what they have offered in the past.
I had considered buying a second BX500 amp but the going out of business prices were the same as I paid for the amp during a regular "sale" a couple years ago. It never got to a real sale price. |
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Michael Remming
From:
Kimberly, Idaho, USA (deceased)
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Posted 24 Jan 2018 2:49 pm
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| I'm hoping they will still offer repair services. Makes me feel a little better knowing I can get my BX500 repaired. |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 24 Jan 2018 7:31 pm
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Did they do factory repairs? I contacted them several years about working on a Carvin tube amp I had at the time and they said they did not work on them and couldn't recommend someone who did. I sold the amp and have never bought another Carvin product. Peavey will still service the first amp they built.
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 25 Jan 2018 8:28 am
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I have quite a bit of Tube Works equipment.
That company sold out to Genz Benz some years ago but they still supply parts for the Tube Works stuff. 
Erv |
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Michael Remming
From:
Kimberly, Idaho, USA (deceased)
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Posted 25 Jan 2018 9:43 am
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Here is a reply I received from Carvin in regards to repair service for older equipment. So I'm not sure if they are in business or not. Disappointing!!
"The Carvin Audio factory has closed its doors and we are no longer accepting service or technical requests.
You can access schematics, product manuals, and frequently asked questions here. If the schematic is not listed than it is unavailable. https://carvinaudio.com/pages/service-frequently-asked-questions
Replacement parts can be purchased here:
https://carvinaudio.com/pages/accessories-and-parts
Thank you,
The Carvin Audio Team" |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 25 Jan 2018 9:50 am
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My best friend, Neil Zaza, is a Carvin endorsee. He's on his way to represent them at NAMM. I just emailed him. He should have all the inside info.
http://www.neilzaza.com
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps |
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Dustin Rhodes
From:
Owasso OK
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Posted 25 Jan 2018 10:41 am
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| John Billings wrote: |
My best friend, Neil Zaza, is a Carvin endorsee. He's on his way to represent them at NAMM. I just emailed him. He should have all the inside info.
http://www.neilzaza.com |
Carvin or Kiesel? |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 25 Jan 2018 10:51 am
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"Carvin or Kiesel?"
Not sure. I'm pretty sure the last set of guitars they gave him said Carvin. But that was before this latest news broke. Am trying to find out. Doesn't his site show Carvins?
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps |
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Michael Remming
From:
Kimberly, Idaho, USA (deceased)
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Posted 25 Jan 2018 11:48 am
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Here is the latest from Carvin.
"They will only be selling what you see on the website ONLY! NO PA EQUIPMENT...AND NO SERVICE DEPT NO PARTS...
ONCE ALL THE CARVIN AUDIO OLD STOCK IS GONE THATS IT!
The Carvin Audio Team" |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 25 Jan 2018 3:38 pm
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This isn't quite a question deeding yes'r'no styling, but: how far down the "disposable-amp" path did they tiptoe before BLOOEY-dom? Meaning, circuit boards all etched on one side, knobs mounted to the board, "no user serviceable parts" etc. I have an inkling that this business model has a dark, evil backside to it that only comes out when you're 200 miles away from any help, and the repair just involves pitching out the old. That biz model does work well if you've got VOLUME sales and can groom some unskilled labor to insert tab A into slot B, and it's kinda irritating that they CAN make a "Twin Reverb" that way that sounds fully as good as a manly point-to-point eyehole-ish Twin Reverb. Has the same circuit values, response, same everything until you get into the Commie poofter Jetson guts of it. And it's ALL Fiskars' fault! Remember real, heavy, manly scissors that could even be sharpened?
GRRRR -> (out with the old)
WAAH! -> (in with the new)
(obligatory grumbly old-fart emission for Jan 2018.) |
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Dustin Rhodes
From:
Owasso OK
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Posted 25 Jan 2018 8:11 pm
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| John Billings wrote: |
"Carvin or Kiesel?"
Not sure. I'm pretty sure the last set of guitars they gave him said Carvin. But that was before this latest news broke. Am trying to find out. Doesn't his site show Carvins? |
Only Kiesel makes guitars. |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 25 Jan 2018 9:15 pm
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| Quote: |
| Makes me feel a little better knowing I can get my BX500 repaired. |
Michael, any competent amp tech can repair the amp. Honestly, many don't like to work on them - Carvin amps are a bit on the strange side - but they're still guitar amps and electronics rules apply.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 26 Jan 2018 3:22 am
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The BX500 is "SMT" technology. I have a (cheap) SMT workstation but I'm still afraid to work on the densely packed circuit board (there is an SMT resistor change that will increase the 12AX7 tube life according to their techs and they even sent me the new SMT resistor).
The schematic that is available is for an older production version (I think rev f) and not up to the last production model L (does not have the resistor value change mentioned).
Last edited by Jack Stoner on 26 Jan 2018 5:21 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 26 Jan 2018 3:57 am
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Kiesel is the family name that owns Carvin, so it's really one and the same.
Regarding the amps,I own two 50 watt tube amps , they are great . There was no way Carvin could compete without a retail distributor network . They could have easily gone toe to toe with the Fender/PV brands in a store front but they never made it to the store front.
The amp line-up is pretty darn good , very high quality as well.
Hopefully the AMPS will come back, but as mentioned above, it, doesn't appear that they are included in the NEW offerings.
Regarding amp repairs in small confined area's, it's not just Carvin. This is common across all brands now. I have a GK Backline with a blown output stage, every time I look at it to start the repair I get exhausted just thinking about the disassembly ! So I put it back on the shelf for " tomorrow" 
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Dustin Rhodes
From:
Owasso OK
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Posted 26 Jan 2018 3:47 pm
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| Tony Prior wrote: |
Kiesel is the family name that owns Carvin, so it's really one and the same.
Regarding the amps,I own two 50 watt tube amps , they are great . There was no way Carvin could compete without a retail distributor network . They could have easily gone toe to toe with the Fender/PV brands in a store front but they never made it to the store front.
The amp line-up is pretty darn good , very high quality as well.
Hopefully the AMPS will come back, but as mentioned above, it, doesn't appear that they are included in the NEW offerings.
Regarding amp repairs in small confined area's, it's not just Carvin. This is common across all brands now. I have a GK Backline with a blown output stage, every time I look at it to start the repair I get exhausted just thinking about the disassembly ! So I put it back on the shelf for " tomorrow" |
It's not though. 2 brothers inherited the business. One took the guitar side and renamed it Kiesel and the other took carvin audio. They completely separate business entities now. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 27 Jan 2018 3:18 am
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| Dustin Rhodes wrote: |
It's not though. 2 brothers inherited the business. One took the guitar side and renamed it Kiesel and the other took carvin audio. They completely separate business entities now. |
Ok, thx for the clarity, I knew they were brothers is all.
never-mind my post above ! 
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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